Amanda M. (tapcat16) reviewed on 9/3/2010 + 150 more book reviews

Here Vonnegut explores the issues he sees as innate in a system where some people have too much money and others not only have not enough but also are made to feel useless. He looks at a wealthy family--the Rosewaters--and what happens when the sole inheritor, Eliot, fights in WWII and comes back a bit insane, seeking only to love and help everyone.

I found this book to be far more heavy-handed in its message than other Vonnegut works I've read. I prefer subtlety, and I know Vonnegut can pull it off splendidly, so this was a bit disappointing. It also was a bit disjointed, spending the first third of the book on Eliot, the second on his cousin, and the last back on Eliot again. Every time I was starting to get into the story, it switched focus on me. That said, the characterizations, particularly of the secondary characters in Indiana and Rhodes Island, are very well done. They are enjoyable to read in spite of the meandering, heavy-handed plot. Fans of Vonnegut and characterization won't want to miss this. Others looking for an intro to Vonnegut should stick to Slaughterhouse-five.

Check out my full review.

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